Buckle



Jan. 7, 1941. L. STARK 2,227,768

BUCKLE Filed Oct. 21, 1939 INVENTOR. L L/D Ms 5' THRK ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ,7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in buckles such as used in suspenders, belts, garters and the like, and has for an object the provision of a buckle that can be quickly and easily attached to the end of a suspension or other member so as to produce a loop therein that can be easily and quickly adjusted to any length and securely held when so adjusted.

The following specification and accompanying drawing illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, but it will be understood that many changes can be made in the construction herein shown without departing from the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an improved buckle illustrating the invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the buckle, Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a rear view of the buckle, Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4--4 of Figure 3, with a tape inserted in the buckle;

Figure 5 is a sectional on the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a perspective rear view of the frame member only of Figure 1; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the tongue or locking member of the buckle, Figures 1 to 4 inclusive.

The front member consists of a rectangular plate having the cross bars I0 II, I2, slots Illa and Ma, and the side ears I3, I4 which ears have apertures therein as indicated at I5, I6. The front member has a convex face which lies in an arcuate plane as shown in the drawing so that the inner surface of the center bar II lies above the inner surface of the bars I0 and I2.

As the strap or tape IT is threaded over the center cross bar lI through slots Illa, Ila, as 40 shown in Figure 4, the entire buckle may slide along the tape to permit adjustment of the loop 22. This also provides room for the loop I8 of the strap or tape I1 to lie snugly within the boundary of the ears #3, l4 and prevents the frictional engagement of the underside I9 of the tape with surface 2-5) of the tape H, which frictional engagement would interfere with ease of adjustment.

As the strain is downwards on the end ZI of the tape, and the loop 22 thereof is held fixed, the loop I8 pulls upwardly on the cross bar 23 of the locking member 24 which brings the tape gripping locking bar portion 25 thereof into firm engagement with the underside of the tape at the point 26, thereby locking the tape against the upper cross bar of the front plate and the greater the pull, the tighter the tape is gripped.

The member 24 has a slot 21 therein to receive the loop I8 of the tape, which loop is stitched closed at I3w. The member 24 has the ears 28, 29 which are sprung into the apertures I5, IS in cars I3, I4 of the front member when the buckle is assembled.

The tape holding cross bar 23 projects at an obtuse angle from the plane of the bar 24 so as to apply aleverage thereto to the gripping portion thereof, as the bar 23 forms the short arm of a lever, the long arm of which is 25, and the fulcrum of which is at 28, 29.

The two parts of the buckle can be made of metal or any suitable material, or the front member can be made. of a suitable molded material such as Bakelite, and the locking member can be made of metal.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, a front member having a convex face having slots therein and apertured ears extending rearwardly of said face, and a locking member lying wholly between said ears supported in said ears and having a flat tape gripping portion lying between said ears and overlying a portion of the rear face of said front member, the flat face of said member adapted to contact a tape and press the same against the rear face of said front member adjacent one end thereof said locking member having a fiat cross bar adapted to have a tape secured thereto and projecting at an angle from said tape gripping portion thereof whereby a tape secured thereto is held out of contact with the tape lying against the rear face of the front member.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a tape of a front member having a raised center bar and end bars and longitudinal slots on each side center of said bar, said tape passing over said center bar and into said slots and overlying the rear faces of said end bars, and a locking member lying wholly between said ears movably supported on the rear of said front member and having a rearwardly extending cross bar to which-one end of said tape is, secured and held out of contact with the tape where it contacts the rear surface of said end bars, and means on said locking member adapted to grip and hold said tape by clamping same against a portion of the rear surface of one of said rear bars adjacent the outer edge thereof.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a tape of a front member having an arcuate slotted front, apertured ears extending rearwardly from said front, and a locking member supported in and lying wholly between said ears and having a portion with a transverse slot therein in which said tape is secured, said slotted portion extending at an angle from the plane of said member, and said member having a fiat transverse bar adapted to grip and hold said tape against the rear surface of said front member by pressure applied through the flat face of said transverse bar.

4. In a device of the character described, in combination, a front member having an arcuate slotted front, a tape extending through said slots and over the outer surface of said member therebetween, rearwardly projecting side portions on said member, a locking memberl hingedly supported between and lying wholly within said side portions and having a transverse ban to which one end of said tape is secured, the secured portion thereof being held out of contact with the rear of said front member, said locking member having a flat transverse portion adapted to grip said tape with its flat face and press the tape against the rear surface of said front member whereby said tape is gripped and held between said members.

5. In a device of the character described, a rectangular shaped front member having an arcuate slotted front and rearwardly extending apertured ends, said apertures being displaced to one and out of contact with said front member at all times, said locking member having a flat locking bar extending across the rear face of said front member and adapted to contact therewith. 6. In a device of the character described, a front member having an arcuate slotted face whereby a center bar is formed therein, the rear surface of said bar being displaced outwardly from the remainder of the rear surface of said member, rearwardly projecting apertured ears on said member, the apertures therein being displaced to one side of a line drawn through the major axis of said member, a locking member hingedly supported in said apertures and having means for attaching a tape thereto lying on the one side of said axis and extending rearwardly at an angle from said last member, and said last member having fiat clamping means thereon 1ying on the opposite side of said axis from said tape attaching means, all parts of said clamping member lying within and between said ears.

7. In a device of the character described, a rectangular apertured plate having slots therein extending parallel to the sides thereof to form a center bar therebetween, said plate having rearwardly extending apertured ears on opposed sides thereof, and a locking member extending into the apertures in said ears and thereby supported on the rear of said plate, said member having a tape-engaging portion therein adapted to receive a tape, said tape-engaging portion being positioned away from the underside of said center bar so as to be out of contact therewith when in use, said member lying between said ears and having a second tape-engaging portion adapted to overlie a portion of the rear surface of said plate and clamp a tape between the flat opposed surfaces of said plate and member.

LUDWIG STARK. 

